


i'm your nightlight.

by crateredcallisto



Series: Callisto's Klance Fics [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Character Death In Dream, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Keith (Voltron), I Made Myself Cry, I'm Sorry, Inspired by Music, Keith (Voltron) Angst, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Fluff, Lance (Voltron) is a Good Boyfriend, Late at Night, M/M, Night Terrors, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Song Lyrics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:53:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22633813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crateredcallisto/pseuds/crateredcallisto
Summary: Shake me from my sleepWhisper in my earTell me it was all a dreamAnd you're here to makeThe nightmares go away
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Series: Callisto's Klance Fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1631680
Comments: 2
Kudos: 59





	i'm your nightlight.

**Author's Note:**

> **BEFORE YOU READ:** The song in this work is _Nightlight._ by _Jaws of Love._ I highly recommend that you listen to it while you read, or before you read so you can get the full effect.
> 
> [Jaws of Love. - Nightlight ](https://youtu.be/YzwGBg8weWA)
> 
>   
> This song has helped me a lot lately. I'm not going to go into much detail, but basically my depression has been getting worse, I've been growing distant from everyone I know (friends, family, etc), I feel emotionally and mentally numb, I've been disassociating, and nothing feels real (I don't feel like I'm actually there and that I'm moving on autopilot, almost like I'm dreaming). It's all been getting progressively worse for the past year.
> 
> This song has been able to help me get through the night, since I tend to play it on repeat until well after 2 in the morning. It's comforted me and made me feel, well, not so alone. Kind of cliche, right?
> 
> I hope that this work is able to successfully convey similar vibes that _Nightlight._ gives me.
> 
> **May this song be the night light that comforts you in the dark.**

He was floating.

Wait, no—

He was running. But where to? And from what?

Purple, blue, and red lights filled the atmosphere around him. They whizzed back and forth throughout the air, colliding and missing each other completely. Shouts could be heard from the mass of colors surrounding him.

Keith dashed around, looking for anyone nearby. A purple and shiny grey flash shot in front of him, and he came face to face with a Galra soldier. Their swords clashed, meeting in the middle.

Keith glared up at his opponent, and gathered up his strength. With all his might, he shoved forward to unbalance the soldier. Then he swept his feet towards the Galran's ankles, knocking him to the ground.

The soldier raised his arms in an X formation in front of his face, bracing for the killing blow—

But it never came.

See, the Coalition never really killed Galra that they fought directly, unless it was absolutely necessary. Usually, enemies were knocked unconscious or tied up. This was because it's always hard to tell whether certain Galra willfully supported their emperor and believed in the methods of the Empire. There are always going to be some Galrans who hate the empire and fight against it, such as those who joined the Rebels and the Blade of Marmora. Those who were still working for (but were entirely against the motives of) the Empire stayed because of fear. There have been many instances where parts of the Coalition captured Galra who willingly gave inside information and officially joined the Rebels. You never know who could be a valuable ally or not until it's too late.

So, Keith brought the heel of his boot down on the Galra soldier's knee, hearing the sharp, distinct crack of a shattered kneecap. The soldier shrieked in agony, and Keith almost— _almost—_ felt bad for him. 

He heard a frustrated grunting noise from somewhere on his right. He turned to seek out the source, and saw Lance fighting the Galran commander. He was bruised, and blood oozed down his face from a gash on his forehead. Keith could tell that Lance was about to collapse, so he ran over to help.

But he wasn't fast enough. His body ran in slow motion, but everything else going on around him was at the normal pace. Why wasn't he fast enough? It's impossible to run in perfect slow motion, unless you're somewhere with little gravity.

Keith struggled to speed up, but without any luck. He watched as Lance was thrown onto his back near the ledge of a cliff.

_(Get up—)_

Keith's legs refused to carry him any faster. The commander sneered and sauntered dramatically slow over to Lance, as the latter struggled to push himself up.

_(Get up—)_

He was dangerously close to the edge, and it was a long way down to the bottom. Lance gave the drop off a sidelong glance before turning his head up towards the approaching Galran. 

_(Please,_ _GET UP_ _—)_

Lance looked panicked, worried, and.... accepting? Shakily, he got to his hands and knees, building his way up to a standing position. When he was about halfway there, the Galra commander raised his gun and aimed.

At this point, Keith was about two yards away from them. In slow motion, he watched as Lance's eyes widened a fraction.

He watched as the commander's gun released a purple energy beam, flying towards Lance.

Watched as it made contact with the black fabric of his armor suit.

Watched as it tore through Lance's skin.

As blood welled up inside the round hole, and gushed out like a waterfall.

As Lance was knocked back from the force of the hit.

As he _fell._

Keith stumbled as his legs caught up to real time, and then he raced to catch Lance's hand before he was out of reach—

But he wasn't quick enough.

_(Never quick enough—)_

_"LANCE!"_

Keith jolted up in his bed, panting with his forehead shiny from sweat. The blanket flew back as he did so, landing in a loose, rumpled puddle of fabric across his lap. Keith brought a hand up to his head, glancing around the dark bedroom. 

What had been a moving simulation during sleep that felt like a real experience happening in real time, was now reduced to short, flashing images of the nightmare embedded into Keith's memory.

_(Purple, red, and blue lights—)_

_(Their swords clashed—)_

_(Bracing for the killing blow—)_

_(Sharp, distinct crack of a shattered kneecap—)_

_(He was bruised, and blood oozed down his face—)_

_(Why wasn't he fast enough—)_

_(Watched as Lance was thrown onto his back near the ledge of a cliff—)_

_(The latter struggled to push himself up—)_

_(Raised his gun and aimed—)_

_(Eyes widened a fraction—)_

_(A purple energy beam—)_

_(Made contact with—)_

_(Tore through—)_

_(Blood welled up—)_

_(Like a waterfall—)_

_(He_ fell— _)_

_(Never quick enough—)_

_(Never quick enough—)_

_(Never quick enough—)_

_(NEVER QUICK ENOUGH—)_

Keith didn't realize he was sitting hunched over himself, and his head hurt where his fingers dug into his scalp. His breathing was shaky and he couldn't stop the terrible thoughts from flowing through his head.

Lance was dead. He was dead and it was Keith's fault. He couldn't reach him in time, and now Keith was alone.

Tears dripped onto the blanket, and Keith couldn't stop the strangled sob that made its way past his lips. He heard a single name being spoken somewhere, _"Keith?"_ , but his brain barely registered it. He just gripped himself tighter. It wasn't real, Lance didn't say his name, he was a ghost and nothing more.

It wasn't until a strong but gentle pair of arms wound their way around his waist, and something nestled in the space between Keith's neck and shoulder, that he was able to register the words he heard.

"Keith, mi amor..." A familiar voice breathed out from the weight seated upon his shoulder. Keith gasped loudly, and he felt fingers rubbing small circles onto his abdomen. Then, a pair of hands reached up slowly and took hold of Keith's wrists in a tender, firm grip. Keith's hands were removed from his head, and they were brought down to his lap, where soft, tan fingers were clutching them.

"It's alright Keith, just focus on me." The voice soothed. "Listen to my voice."

Keith struggled to bring himself back from his mindscape, but he was able to grasp what the gentle voice was saying. 

"There you go. Okay, I'm going to count to five, and you just focus on breathing in." Keith nodded feebly in response. 

"One,"

Keith began to inhale slowly.

"Two,"

He felt his lungs begin to expand.

"Three,"

He closed his eyes.

"Four,"

He felt his heart rate starting to slow down.

"Five, now breathe out as I count back down to one."

"Five,"

Keith began to exhale.

"Four,"

The waterfall of tears slowly became more of a stream.

"Three,"

Keith felt a little calmer.

"Two," 

The hands that held his own traced little circles onto his knuckles.

"One."

Keith opened his eyes, his breathing still a little shaky. They continued this process until he was mostly calmed down.

Things were quiet for a few minutes, until Lance snuggled closer, his pale blue sweatshirt rustling against Keith's black t-shirt.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, giving Keith the opportunity to speak his mind. Keith simply sat up and turned to face Lance, then leaned into his chest, encircling his arms around the taller boy's torso as he felt him return the gesture.

"Well..." Keith began to recount the details of what he experienced, and Lance encouraged him softly all throughout his explanation.

_"I'm right here, Keith."_

_"We're safe now."_

_"I won't go down that easily."_

_"I've got your back, Samurai, and you've got mine, yeah? Instead of dying for each other, how about we live for each other instead, okay?"_

They embraced each other in silence for a while. Lance reached behind him to prop his pillow up and leaned back onto it. Keith laid on top of his lover's chest, their legs tangling comfortably together. Lance sighed in contentment, and Keith could feel it in the slow fall of his chest.

Keith let his gaze flit around the room they shared. It was originally Lance's, but they decided to share his room a month or so after they became official boyfriends. Fairy lights, which they were very fortunate to have found at the space mall, were strung up along each wall. They had alien plants in semi-circular pots attached to the wall furthest from the door. Keith and Lance's jackets were hanging up side by side near the door. On the alien dresser, there was an assortment of glowing stones they collected from different planets, some looking like galaxies while others looked like aqua seawater. Keith's blade, the red bayard, and the black bayard lay dormant next to their collection.

Keith decided to break the silence with a whisper. "Hey Lance?"

Lance hummed in response.

"Um, do you think you could sing for me?"

"Of course, mi amor." Lance took a breath.

_In dreams we find~_

_All we've ever wanted~_

Keith sniffled as he listened to Lance's voice carry quietly around their room. He knew that Lance loved to sing, but he had never really sang openly in front of the others before. Usually, Keith was the only one on the receiving end of this. It made him feel special, because he knew that Lance loved him.

_Between flying cars~_

_And being on your favorite T.V. shows~_

He knew Lance loved him, because of the way he was always looking out for Keith. Whenever Keith was happy, Lance would be happy. Whenever Keith was laughing because he found something funny, Lance would add on to the joke or make faces to make him laugh even more. When Keith told Lance stories of the past or events that happened at some point, he would listen and his full attention would be on Keith.

_We get what we want~_

_We get what we want~_

He knew Lance loved him, because he would notice right off the bat when Keith was upset or having a bad day, without anyone else having to say anything. He would comfort and ask Keith to confide in him, and never pressured him when he couldn't. Lance understood Keith so well, and none of the others could make him feel comfortable the way Lance did.

_Until the bars let out~_

_And you realize you're waking up~_

Keith let out a shaky sigh, and one of Lance's hands drifted from Keith's back to his hair, rubbing it comfortingly. Keith smiled a small smile and closed his eyes, feeling tears threatening to build up again from a more positive emotion. He snuggled closer to his boyfriend, nuzzling into his chest.

_I'm your nightlight~_

Keith could trust in Lance, and Lance could trust in Keith. Even though their personalities were pretty much the opposite and they didn't agree sometimes, they always found that they fit together perfectly. In battle, they fought side by side, and no one could match their synchronized fluidity. Keith was the perfect size for being held, and Lance was the perfect size to hold him. Lance was Keith's moral compass and Keith was Lance's confidence, so if something ever happened to one of them, the other would spiral out of control. Even when they kissed, their lips slotted perfectly together, as though they were made for each other specifically. Lance and Keith were each other's missing puzzle piece.

_When every creak is out to tell you~_

Neither of them cared if it was cheesy, but they each knew that they were soulmates. Keith used to think it was impossible for him to ever fall in love, or for someone to ever fall for him. He proved himself wrong when he met Lance, who was able to take a bulldozer and knock his walls down, and then smash the remains to pieces with a sledgehammer. Only one other person had been able to do that before: Shiro, except he had created a perfect doorway and allowed Keith to willingly open up. Lance destroyed his walls, ripping them up from the ground entirely, but he held his arms out to show Keith that it was really up to him to make the final decision. But it was Lance, so Keith ran and collapsed into Lance's embrace, metaphorically and often literally.

_You're not where you thought~_

It was Keith who confessed first, which surprised everyone, since Keith usually didn't like to share emotions or show vulnerability. He confessed first because he knew that he had to have some sort of chance with Lance, even though he firmly believed that he was in love with Allura. He just needed Lance to know how he felt. But, what Lance lacked in confessing first, he gained in acting first. After their confessions, Lance was the one to initiate a kiss and ask Keith to be his boyfriend.

_I'll be here to help you~_

The team thought that Lance would confess first, because they knew that Keith often felt uncomfortable talking about his emotions, Lance couldn't keep secrets, and that Lance was always a flirt (but after he and Keith got together, Lance only flirted with his boyfriend). What they didn't know though (well, minus Hunk), is that Lance was very good at keeping secrets, especially his own. Many times, Lance wouldn't inform the team of something about himself (such as his anxiety, ADHD, and clinical depression) because he didn't want to be a burden.

_You get what you want~_

_You get what you want~_

Lance didn't confess to Keith first, because he thought that Keith hated him, wanted nothing to do with him, and didn't care for him. Of course, Lance was always oblivious, because Keith's opinions on him were entirely the opposite of what Lance believed. They weren't hidden either, since Keith had tried to sacrifice himself for Lance several times, and vice versa. The team could see right through both of them when they pretended to hate each other, and they put money on who they thought would be the first guy to confess. 

_So you can lie back down~_

Keith remembered the day that he and Lance told the team about their relationship, and the shock he felt when everyone started handing GAC over to Coran, Shiro, and Hunk. He remembered the way Lance had squawked in betrayal, and the way he could feel the heat rushing to his face.

_And know that I'm the one that you can count on~_

_Can count on~_

_Can count on~_

Keith remembered the group hug they all shared after their friends said they accepted them, and how Allura and Coran were ecstatic to hear Pidge explain LGBTQ+ to them. He remembered how Lance smiled a little nervously at Keith before silently slipping away from the others, hands intertwined, and leading him down the hallway. How they kissed and cuddled once reaching Lance's room.

_Can count on~_

_Can count on~_

_Can count on~_

Once, he and Lance were fooling around together during the Paladins' second visit to the space mall, and it was more or less a date. They went to different stores, trying on all sorts of weird alien clothing and joking around about possible uses of alien items. Keith ended up spotting the alien equivalent of a coffee shop hidden in a small corner of the mall. Since they were a little skeptical of alien coffee, they decided on hot chocolate. To be honest, they each secretly liked hot chocolate dates better than coffee dates, since they made everything feel fuzzier and warmer.

_Can count on~_

_Can count on~_

_Can count on~_

When they had met up with the others, Shiro was wearing a proud smile and Hunk silently teased Lance with his all-knowing smirk, but Lance didn't mind because Hunk had known him ever since they were toddlers, and Lance was too happy to act offended. Pidge silently slipped Keith and Lance photos that she had sneakily taken of them with the new Polaroid camera she found at the Earth store. The two Paladins were embarrassed, to say the least, but they were more grateful to have a physical snapshot of their date.

_You know that I'm the one that you can count on~_

Lance always loved to give and give to Keith without asking for or expecting anything back. But Keith sure as hell gave his all to Lance, because that's what his lover deserved.

_I'm your nightlight~_

On the cusp of slumber, Keith felt Lance press a kiss into his hair. Then, he fully succumbed to the heavy tendrils of sleep, and for the rest of the night he dreamed of Lance.

_I'm your nightlight~_

**Author's Note:**

> For in dreams  
> We enter a world  
> That is entirely  
> Our own  
>   
>   
>   
> [bangs fists on table] HOT CHOCOLATE IS BETTER THAN COFFEE


End file.
